


Tenderness revealed

by The_Darkest_of_Morlins



Series: IchiHime Week [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, IchiHime Week, IchiHime Week 2020, Post-Ending, Pre-Epilogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26016328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Darkest_of_Morlins/pseuds/The_Darkest_of_Morlins
Summary: Orihime was certain that she knew Ichigo inside and out. But ever since falling in love a new side has revealed itself to her. A soft and tender side.
Relationships: Inoue Orihime/Kurosaki Ichigo
Series: IchiHime Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888303
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Tenderness revealed

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing fanfiction in like a year. But I really wanted to be a part of the IchiHime Week this year so here's my first contribution. It's a day late when I post this and I wrote pretty quickly, but better late than never and all that. Hope you enjoy. :)

Ichigo Kurosaki was a lot of things and Orihime Inoue was familiar with most of them.

She knew that he was a heroic man with an innate sense of what was right. He would put himself in mortal danger to defend those who needed help, whether they were friend, foe or someone unknown. Ichigo himself would never be so bold as to claim that he was anything more than man trying to do what’s right. In Orihime’s eyes however Ichigo was true hero

She also knew how kind he was. She’d seen him cheer up lost spirits that struggled with the burden of the afterlife. And he always wanted the best for his friends and family. It was a side that he didn’t call attention to very much, covering it up behind a tough demeanor. But Orihime knew the truth, that being that Ichigo was one of the most kind-hearted people there was.

She knew that other people could find his rough persona and surly expressions intimidating and even off-putting. To her it was disarming, comfortable and funny. It meant that he was being himself, that neither nor any of their friends were in any danger. And his sourpuss expression was just so cute and never failed to make her laugh.

These and many other facets were the reason why Orihime admired and loved Ichigo Kurosaki. But those were all traits that anybody who knew him well enough could see. All of his friends and family knew that these were things that made Ichigo so amazing. And Orihime was happy to just be a part of the inner circle of people that knew Ichigo so well.

Then Ichigo confessed his love for her and a whole new side of him opened up to Orihime. A side she’d never really expected. Even though she thought the world of him, Orihime never that Ichigo Kurosaki could be so tender.

He would speak to her with soft, loving words that were far different from the normal friendly banter she’d gotten used to over the years. They were words of fondness that gently caressed her heart and warmed her soul. He would whisper encouragements that could turn a dull and bleak day into a bright world full of possibilities. And the way he would look at her and declare his love with the softest smiles she’d ever seen on his visage never failed to amaze her.

The way Ichigo would gently touch her was something beyond her wildest imaginations. How he carefully intertwined their fingers whenever they went for a walk or affectionately encircled his arms around her or stroked his fingers lovingly across her arms. It was all so mesmerizing that she sometimes wondered if it was a dream, but then Ichigo would nuzzle his nose into her hair softly or something similar to surprise her and she’d be certain that was awake because she had never dared to dream of receiving such soft treatment from the man she loved.

And then there were the kisses. Not the fierce and voracious kisses they could only enact when they were alone. Orihime had actually expected, dreamed and hoped for those, and she did appreciate them very much to say the least. But the quick pecks that lasted less than a second, Orihime had not anticipated those and how Ichigo somehow managed to convey a myriad of emotions with each one, or that he’d dare to hand them to her in public. She often found herself overwhelmed but always desired more of them.  
The thing about all this tenderness that amazed Orihime the most was how quickly she came to see it as a natural part of Ichigo’s being. He was a hero, he was kind, he was funny and he was tender. It blended together with her pre-existing picture of Ichigo so effortlessly that she now couldn’t imagine him without being reminded of all the love he could convey with just a gentle word, loving touch or tender kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Have a nice day. :) <3


End file.
